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PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN FRAILTY AND SARCOPENIA: REPORT BY THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FRAILTY AND
M Cesari1, R Fielding2, O Bénichou3
1Gérontopôle, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France ; INSERM UMR1027, Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
The Journal of Frailty & Aging
|September 15, 2015
Summary
Developing pharmaceutical therapies for sarcopenia and frailty is hindered by a lack of consensus definitions. Emerging agreement suggests low muscle mass requires weakness or functional impairment for clinical relevance.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Sarcopenia and frailty frequently co-occur, sharing physical function impairment.
- Pharmaceutical therapy development for these conditions lags due to undefined criteria.
- A 2015 task force convened to address research and clinical challenges in frailty and sarcopenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss challenges in developing pharmaceutical therapies for sarcopenia and frailty.
- To address general questions regarding efficient drug trial design for these aging-related conditions.
- To report on task force deliberations regarding consensus definitions and research advancements.
Main Methods:
- Convened a task force of researchers, industry leaders, and non-profit representatives.
- Reviewed available evidence and preliminary results from ongoing activities.
- Task force deliberations focused on drug development and clinical trial design.
Main Results:
- A lack of consensus definitions for sarcopenia and frailty remains a significant limitation.
- Emerging consensus indicates low muscle mass alone lacks clinical relevance without weakness or functional impairment.
- Need for consensus on clinically meaningful functional outcomes for validation.
Conclusions:
- Consensus on definitions and clinically meaningful outcomes is crucial for advancing sarcopenia and frailty research.
- Future efforts should focus on validating functional outcomes in long-term studies.
- Overcoming definitional barriers is key to developing effective pharmaceutical interventions.
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